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'o:rt ivtcHiEzsra^s", dvld. 



HEARING 



BEFORE THE 



COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS 
Second Session 



ON 



H. R. 11174 



L PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF A SUM OF MONEY 
R THE ERECTION AT FORT McHENRY OF A MONUMENT AND 
FLAGSTAFF TO FRANCIS SCOTT KEY AND A MEMORIAL 
HALL TO THE DEFENDERS OF THE NATION IN THE 
WAR OF 1812, AND THE ERECTION OF A MONU- 
MENT UPON THE NORTH POINT BATTLE 
FIELD, AND FOR THE NECESSARY AL- 
TERATIONS IN THE BUILDINGS 
AND GROUNDS IN CONNEC- 
TION THEREWITH 



} 



III 



i 



WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1914 






AUG 2S mi5 



*^^ 

^' FOET McHENRY, MD. 

Monday, March 9, 1914. 

STATEMENT OF EON. J. CHAELES IINTHICUM, A REPRE- 
SENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM TEE STATE OF MARYLAND. 

Mr. LixTHK UM. ]\]j'. niturnian, tlie bill which I desire to present 
to-day is H. R. 11174, providing: for the appropriation of a sum 
of monev for the erection at Fort McHemy, Md., of a monument 
and flagstaff to Francis Scott Key, and a memorial hall to the de- 
fenders of the Nation in the War of 181 2 ; the erection of a monument 
upon the Xortli Point Battlefield near Baltimore, and for the necessary 
alterations in the liiildings and grounds of Fort McHenry._ 

I do not Ijelieve it necessary for me to read tlie eritire 1 ill, as tlie 
members of the committee each have a copy before them, but I ask 
that it be extended in the hearings. 

A. BILL Providing for the appropriation of a sum of monev for the erection at Fort McHenry of a monu- 
ment and flagstaff to Francis Scott Kev and a memorial ball to the defenders of the Nation m the_ft^ar 
of Eighteen hundred and twelve, and the erection of a monument upon the North Pomt battle field, 
and for tlie necessary alterations in the buildmgs and grounds in connection therewith. 

Whereas a national patriotic celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the 

birth of the Star-Spangled Banner, the defense of Fort McHenry, and the Battle of 

North Point will be held in the city of Baltimore in September, nineteen hundred 

and fourteen; and 
Whereas these events are of great significance to the Nation m marking the climax 

of the defense of the country against invasion in the War of Eighteen hundred and 

twelve, the repulse of the force which had captured and despoiled the National 

Capital, and the origin of Kev's matchless song; and 
WTiereas this blow to the invaders was soon followed by the treaty of Ghent, which 

established the commercial freedom of the United States as the final step m the 

achievement of national independence; and 
WTiereas in a celebration of this kind the National Government, m whose defense the 

battles were fought, ought to lend its aid so that the lessons of patriotism which it 

will convey may be impressed upon the people: Therefore 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America 
in Congress assembled, That there shall be erected at Fort McHenry, u.nder the du-ec- 
tion of the Secretary of War, a monr:ment and flagstaff in honor of Francis Scott Key, 
the author of the Star-Spangled Banner. _ . . , , 

Sec. 2. That there shall be erected at Fort McHenry, under the direction of the 
Secretarj^ of War, a buildmg to be known as Defenders' Memorial Hall, m memory of 
the men who successfully defended Fort McHenry at the time of the British attack 
on that fortification and of the other soldiers, sailors, and civilians who served their 
country in the War of Eighteen hundred and twelve. 

Sec. 3. There shall be erected on the North Point battle field, upon the lot known 
as -Doctor Hoi ck's Acre," a monument to the citizen soldiers of Maryland, V irginia, 
and Pennsylvania, who participated in the successful defense of Baltunore against 
the attack of the British invading armv in eighteen hundred and fo; rteen: Provided, 
however. That the State of Maryland shall first cede to Congress its right and title to 

said acre of land. ■ . ■ ^ -u -a 

Sec 4 That in the preparation of the plans and selection of sites for the said monu- 
ments, flagstaff, and memorial hall, and tlie execution of all work m connection 
therewith, the Secretary of War shall form a committee composed of the mayor of 
Baltimore, the chairman of the National Star-Spangled Banner Centenmal, the 

B 



4 FORT McHENRY, MD. 

president of the Board of Park Commissioners of Baltimore, and two other persons 
to be designated by the iSecretary of War, whose suggestions he shall invite, and with 
whom he may confer and consult: Provided, however, That the decision (jf the Secre- 
tary of War shall be final in all matters. 

Sec. 5. That for the purpose of the erection of said monuments, flagstaff, and 
memorial hall, and for such changes in the grounds and buildings of Fort McHenry 
and North Point battle field as the Secretary of War may approve, the sum of §500,000, 
or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated from any money in 
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended by the direction of the 
Secretary of War or such officer as he shall designate: Provided, That the money hereby 
appropriated may be drawn from time to time, as may be required in the progress of 
the work, upon requisition of the Secretary of War. 

Baltimort' is about to c:l:brate from the 6th day of September, 
1914, until the 16th the centennial of the battles of North Point and 
Fort McHenr}' and the writing of the national anthem, the Star 
Spangled Banner, by Francis Scott Key. Our people want the Gov- 
ernment to participate in this celebration for which otln r bills have 
been introduc d and have been, referred to the proper committees. 
However, no money hr.s b:-en grant; d by the Government uiider any 
bill except that this bill provides for putting the grounds at Fort 
McHenry in ])roprr shap? and the erection of these memorials. I 
do not propose myself to go into this matt^^r fully as I have gentle- 
men hrre who are even more familiar with it than I am, and with 
the committee's leave I w^ant to introduce to you his Honor, Mayor 
Preston, of Baltimore, who will speak to you upon this bill. 

STATEMEIfT OF HOX. JAMES H. PEESTOI^, MAYOE OF THE 

CITY OF BALTIMOEE. 

Mr. Preston. Mr. Chahman and gentlemen of the committer, I 
come with a twofold purpos:\ I thought, ui the first place, that 
nothing would be more instructive to the committee and nothing 
would be so pleasant for us as to have the pres^ice of the committee 
in Baltimore to examine and look over Fort McHenry and see its 
actual existing situation and condition. Therefore, I am here on 
behalf of the city of Baltimore to extend to the full committee, or 
to a subcommittee, as you gentlemen may prefer, an invitation to 
come to Baltimore some Saturday afternoon or some Saturday 
morning, and let us take you tlown to the fort in automobiles and 
have luncheon with me at the Maryland Club and then we will get 
back in the afternoon as early as you may desire. By this means 
you will see the situation. You will see hov,^ badly the Government 
has been taking care of this historic old fort, and you will see the need 
of some repairs and some renewals. You will also see the nerd of 
the construction of roads, and I hope you will also see the desir- 
ability of a permanent memorial to the days 100 years ago when the 
citizen soldiery of Baltimore saved the Nation, and brought about 
the treaty of Ghent two months later, and also brought about the 
continued existence of the great country which we now enj(\v. 

This is a matter of deep feeling with us in Baltimore and is a mat- 
ter of deep interest to all Americans who love their country, and 
especially a matter of deep interest to the historical associations all 
over the country. 

We are accompanied to-day, after the briefest kind of notice, by 
the most distinguished of our citizenship, the heads of our great trade 
organizations, the heads of our great civic bodies, and men connected 



FORT McHENRY, MD. 5 

with our great mercantile establishments, our railroads, and our pubUc 
authorities. For the purpose of having it in the notes, I would say- 
that we have wnth us Mr. Albert Hughes, a leading merchant of 
Baltimore and vice president of the National Bank of Baltimore; 
Mr. Frank N. Hoen, of A. Hoen & Co., lithographers, and vice presi- 
dent of the German Bank; Mr. George R. Wilhs, a prominent lawyer 
and a director of the Second National Bank, who represents here the 
Clearing House of Baltimore; Dr. A. B. Bibbins, chairman of the 
executive committee of the 1914 celebration; Mr. Herbert Sheridan, 
in charge of transportation for the chamber of commerce; Maj. E. A. 
Walton, superintendent of transportation of the B. & O. Railroad; 
Mr. Robert E. Lee, representing the Federation of Labor; Mr. Ham- 
ilton G. Fant, of the C. D. Kenney Co.; Col. Jerome Joyce, ex-presi- 
dent National Hotel Association and a member of the committee of 
the 1914 celebration; Mr. Rufus M. Gibbs, president of the board of 
trade, our most distinguished business organization, comprising in 
its membership all of the other trade organizations and business 
organizations of our city and port; Mr. Phihp D. Heuisler and Mr. 
Joseph F. Heinz, of the Emerson Drug Co.; and myself, as the mayor 
of Baltimore; and lastly, though not least by any means. Representa- 
tives Covington, Smith, Coady, and Linthicum. 

Fort McHenry, gentlemen, occupies a singular and an unusual 
position in our harbor. It is in the midst of our city and shipping, 
and transportation is all around it. It consists of 38 acres of land, 
the most valuable single piece of land in the possession of the War 
Department or the Government. This old, abandoned piece of land 
in the very heart of our city is worth probably $1,000,000, surrounded 
by shipping, in immediate touch with the great railroad terminals, 
and the Goverriment has allowed it to lie fallovv', to grow up in weeds 
and briars and sedge, with one man in charge of that great mihtary 
reservation representing the Government. 

Now, gentlemen, I am going to come to the question which I con- 
sider the very gist of the matter, and that is this: We have just been 
before the Committee on Mihtary Affairs and we said to them: ''We 
want to have Mr. Roosevelt, we want to have Mr. Taft, and we want 
to have Mr. Wilson come to Baltimore in September." Those gen- 
tlemen have all accepted the invitation. We are going to have the 
governors of the 18 States of the Union at that time come to Balti- 
more with their militia and their troops. They are going to be in and 
around Fort McHenry. It does not seem to me in kpcping with the 
dignity of our Government that tliis old field shall lie fallow in its 
present condition. 

We appeared before the INIilitary Affairs Committee and said, 
" Gentlemen, fix this place up, put it in charge of soldiery, put it in 
condition for ordinary observation on the part of visitors to our 
harbor and oi,r city, and do riot let it be a disgrace, not only to 
Baltimore city, but to the Government of our country." They said 
to US, " Gentlemen, we have no money to do that \vith. The Congress 
is very zealons of military expenditures on the part of the Army, and 
we have no money we can appropriate for that purpose. Tlie best 
thing we can do is to let you take care of it yourselves." I conferred 
with our city authorities, and what was the result? The result was 
that the Government said to us, "Now, gentlemen, we have this old, 
abandoned, historic fort with its many associations, lying in the 



6 FORT McHEXEY, MD. 

heart of your harbor; we have no troops there, we are not occiipymg 
it in any sense, and only haye a keeper there. But if you want to 
take charge of it and use it as part of your park system vro ^\'ill let 
you do that as tenants at wUl." 

^Ir. Sheeley. You do not think that is a burden upon you, do you, 
to giye you the use of a million dollars' worth of property in^ the 
heart of yoiu- city for park purposes ? 

]Mr. Preston. I was coming to that question in a moment, sir. 
Unless this committee takes some action, we will haye to maintain it 
in its present condition. We are building $2,000,000 worth of streets 
in that section. We are building the Key Highway. Coyington 
Street, and spending that amount of money in streets to giye access 
to the fort. If we had a long lease on this property, if we were going 
to use it for any purpose which would be advantageous from any 
standpoint other than a sentimental stan('.])oint. of course v>-e coidcl 
make money and rent it 

Mr. Sherley (interposing). But is it not of value as a park? 

'Mr. Peestox. But this is the proposition as I see it, Mr. Sherlev, 
and I stated this before the Committee on Military Affairs Vvhen 
I was met with that objection. Hovr would you feel if a brother of 
yours were to say to you. "I have an old, ( ilapidated house on 
Fifth Avenue in Xcav York, or on Madison Avenue in Baltimore; 
you can take it as a tenant at v\-ill and live in it" 

The Chairmax (interposing). Suppose, Mr. Mayor, I were clamor- 
ing to have him spend a lot of money on it for my benefit and he were 
to say to me, '"If you want to use that house go ahead and use it and 
fix it up to suit yourself ?"' 

Mr. Peestox. I do not think you would do that. 1:\ order to put 
Fort McHenry in proper condition, to put in roads and put the build- 
ings in habitable conditioji, would cost hundreds of thousands of 
dollars. I do not know how many — one, two, or three hundred thou- 
sand dollars. 

The Chairmax. But when you would have a magfiificent park of 
38 acres without any capital investment. 

Mr. Peestox. But with a maintenance investment which we aie 
ready and wilhng to undertake; but we are not ready and willuig to 
spend SIOO.OOO or S200,000 on Government property, with the Gov- 
ernment having the right to do what it probably wiU do, and what 
Gen. Aleshire says he is ready to do, take it over the next year, when 
our capital investment would be lost. 

This is the situation, my friends, if you had a friend who oflered you 
a dilapidated house to live in free, and the occupation of that house 
involved an expencUture of a lar^e sum of money in permanent better- 
ments, what would you say to him? You would say to him, "^I do 
not want it." We are not asking for Fort McHenry. We are asking 
the Government to handle Fort McHemy as it handles other Govern- 
ment reservations, as it handles the reservation on the Hudson River 
at West Point, and as it handles the reservation at Pensacola, Fla. 

The Chaiemax. TMiat has the Government done at West Point ? 

Mr. Peestox'. I only quote you what Gen. Alesliu-e has said, and 
I refer you to his remarks before the ^Military Affairs Committee. 

The CiiAiEMAX. I woidd like to know what the Government has 
done at West Point to put it in the same category. 



FOET McHEis^EY, MD. ^ 7 

Mr. Peestox. You have a Government reservation there which is 
not needed for niihtarv purposes on which I understand has been 
spent SloO.OOO. 

The Chaiemax. I am not familiar with any such expenditure and 
I am pretty familiar with West Point. 

;Mr. Peestox. I am not very familiar with West Point, but I am 
very famihar with what took place before the ]Military Affairs Com- 
mittee and it may be I can find you exactly what was said there. 

The Chaiemax. Do you refer to Constitution Island ? 

Mr. Peestox. Fort Bentham. ^Ir. Linthicum will find the 
quotation. 

We are here to ask two things, broadly: one is that the property 
which you propose to turn over to us, as tenants at will, be put in 
reasonable habitable condition, and after that it shall cost the 
Government nothing to maintain it, with the right in the Govern- 
ment to come the next day and say we want the property back. 
Secondly, we are asking the Government for patriotic reasons, in 
view of the work that the citizen soldiery did in the salvation of 
this Nation in 1814, in view of the 100 years centinarv of the writing 
of the Star Spangled Banner and the bombardment of Fort McHenry 
and the battle at Xorth Point, to erect a permanent memorial to the 
work done by the defenders there, as Baltimore City is to-day build- 
ing a monument to Key, to be unveiled next year, and building a 
monument to Col. Armistead which is to be unveiled next September. 
We ai'e asking the Government to take some steps, not in contributing 
to this celebration, but to putting its own property, lying in the midst 
of the city of Baltimore, in reasonable, decent, presentable condition. 

^Nlr. Sheelet. Xow, Mr. Mayor, you have already passed through 
the House of Representatives a bill permitting you to take possession 
of this property, to iLse your pin-ase, as tenants at will. Why was it 
not not made a condition to that transfer at the time the bill was put 
through the House that the Government should spend a certain 
amount of money on it ? There was not anything said about that. 
There was such a provision, as I now recall, in the bill, and it was 
afterwards stricken out in order to get the bill through. After 
getting the bill through with that provision stricken out, are you 
gentlemen ui a position to come here in all fairness and ask us in 
another bill to put it back m i 

Mr. CovrxGTOx. Will you permit me to interrupt you to answer 
the gentleman from Kentucky i Mr. Sherley is as shrewd a parhamen- 
tarian as there is m thi-^ House 

The Chaiemax (interposing'). That bill had a paragraph appro- 
priating 810,000 for putting the work in condition, and the Com- 
mittee on ^IHitary Affau's in reporting the biH reported it with an 
amendment striking out that paragraph, and that amendment was 
agreed to by the House and the biU. was passed. 

^Ir. CovixGTox. I want to say this: I happened to be m the House 
at that time. It was not a bill I had charge of, because I do not live 
in that section of the State, but the gentleman from Kentucky and 
the distinguished chairman of this committee are two of the shrewdest 
parUamentarians in the House of Representatives. They very well 
know that that bill was of a character that would only turn up in 
two ways on the calendar. It either must be called up by imani- 
mous consent on one of the mianhnous-consent davs or it had to take 



8 FOET McHENKY, MD 



its chances when the Committee on MiUtary Affan-s was reached on a 
Calendar Wednesday. The pecuhar position of the Committee on 
Military Affairs as to Calendar Wednesdays was such that we do not 
know when it may ever be reached again on a Calendar Wednesday, 
and the gentleman from New York knows very well that on two suc- 
cessive Mondays the very astute minority leader, Mr. Mann, practi- 
cally demanded that that provision should be eliminated from the 
bill before he would yield and give his unanimous consent. 

The Chairman. No; the Committee on Military Affairs declined 
to report the bill carrying any appropriation, and reported it with 
an amendment striking the appropriation out. 

Mr. Covington. That is true. 

Mr. Sherley. Now, take your own statement, Mr. Covington. 
You also know parliamentary law, and you know perfectly well that 
the bill never could have been considered or passed if it had carried 
a burden upon the Treasury. Now, the pomt I make is 

Mr. Covington (interposing). That bill could not; certainly not, 
Mr. Sherley. 

Mr. Sherley. I mean that particular bill. Now, you come in and 
get a concession on certain conditions, one of them being that there 
shall be no burden upon the Government. 

Mr. Covington. Surely. 

Mr. Sherley. Now, having gotten that concession, you undertake 
from that vantage ground to come and ask us for an appropriation. 

Mr. Covington. Yes; and I very well recall another famous fight, 
in which we happened to be on the same side of the proposition, 
when this condition occurred a condition, by the way, of no more 
serious moment than the present one that his honor the mayor of 
Baltimore represents, when the rather equivocal celebration at San 
Francisco was under consideration. There was with great 6clat 
proclaimed before this House l)y Mr. Kahn and other gentlemen 
the very same substantive proposition you refer to, and the only 
way that bill was ever gotten up was by a disclaimer that they would 
ever come to this Appropriations Committee. 

Mr. Sherley. Are you referring to the deception practiced upon 
the House on that occasion as a precedent for this ? 

Ml'. Covington. No, sir; I do not think there was deception 
practiced upon the House, but wlien the time came and the expo- 
sition was an established fact and a memorial was to be established 
to an event in American history no more momentous than the 
memorial to the defenders at Fort McHenry, whicli, after all, crys- 
tallized the emancipation of this Nation in its trade fight with Great 
Britain — when the question of the Panama-Pacific Exposition was 
before us and the honor of the Americaji Government sulisequently 
became at stake, I have a very vivid recollection that the gentle- 
man from Kentucky, nnlong others of us, was quite v\-illing in the 
last anal3^sis to see one-half million dollars ajipropriated under cir- 
cumstances sunounding that Pan.ama -Pacific Exposition at San 
Francisco that were no more momentous than this. 

The Chairman. The gentleman is mistaken. What happened in 
that connection was this: They asked for $2,000,000 

Mr. Covington (interposing). And we all, you and Mr. Sherle^^ and 
myself, very gracefully yielded to an appropriation of one-half million 



FORT McHENRY, MD. 9 

dollars. I did not mean to interpose any remarks just at this time, 
but I was so familiar with other circumstances that I wanted to reply 
to the statements made. 

The Chairman, Congress recommended an appropriation of a half 
a million dollars for a Government exhibit to be installed in a building 
to be furnished by the Panama Exposition Co. 

Mr. Covington. Yes. Now, there is just one other thought that 
occurs to me at this time, and I am sure that none of the gentlemen 
on this committee, with their knowledge of history, will for one 
moment gainsay this: The circumstances surrounding the Knoxville 
Exposition are in no sense comparable with the events that took place 
at Fort McHenry. 

Mr. SiiERLEY. And I did my best to prevent that appropriation. 

Mr. Covington. I understand you did, Mr. Sherley, but some did 
not, and when this House has gone on record to the extent of appro- 
priating $100,000 to perpetuate that rather equivocal celebration at 
Knoxville, I think it would not be going out of its way to grant this 
request. 

The Chairman. There are four things proposed in this bill: First, 
the erection of a flagstaff and monument in honor of Francis Scott 
Key; second, the erection of a building to be known as Defenders' 
Memorial Hall; third, the erection upon a lot known as "Dr. Houck's 
Acre" a monument to the citizen soldiers of Maryland, Virginia, and 
Pennsylvania; and fourth, the expenditure of a certain amount of 
money to put Fort McHenry in usable shape. I understand, Mr. 
Mayor, 3-ou stated it will take $100,000 or $200,000 to do that ^ 

Mr. Preston. The bill, of course, gentlemen, is subject entirely to 
your approval, and I am simply naming what appeals to us to be fair 
and just, but, of course, we will be satisfied with any findings the com- 
mittee will make. 

The Chairman. I simply want to get some information. I under- 
stood you to say it would take $100,000 or $200,000 to properly fit 
up Fort McHenry for use as a park ? 

Mr. Preston. I would think so. 

The Chairman. The bill as introduced in the House by Mr. 
Linthicura providing for the use of Fort ^IcHenry carried an appro- 
priation of $10,000 to put it in condition to be used as a park by the 
city of Baltimore. 

Mr. Preston. I do not know anything about that. 

The Chairman. I do not, either. It was in the bill proposed by 
Mr. Linthicum. 

Mr. Linthicum. Let me answer that question. I want to sav that 
the mayor was not even cognizant of that provision in the bill. 
I took the matter up witli the War Department and told them I 
thought certain buildings and roads there ought to be repaired when 
they turned it over, and I asked them whether they would have any 
objection to a small appropriation to put the place in shape, and I 
told them at that time about having a bill before this committee to 
provide for the general repairing of the fort and putting it in shape, 
and they said they had not any objection to a small appropriation 
to take care of the immediate repair of the buildings; but that was 
stricken out, as you know, by the committee. 

The Chairman. An appropriation of $500,000 is requested in this 
bill and I desire some information as to the anount of money re- 



■ i 



10 FORT McHENEY, MD 



quired for the purposes specified in the bill; how much for the monu- 
ment and flagstaff, how much for the memorial hall, how much for 
the monument on North Point Battlefield, and how much to put the 
fort in the condition you say it should be in ? 

Mr. Preston. This is the proposition we are puttmg before you, 
broadly, Mr. Chairman . There are, I imagme, several miles of roads, 
one road that should lead around the entire water front. Now, it 
has been our experience that it costs in Maryland to make country 
roads $12,000 or $15,000 a mile. If you build streets or a good road 
in the city it costs a great deal more. That is largely conjectural; 
but I call your attention to the fact that the money is to be ex- 
pended under the direction of the Secretary of War or his representa- 
tives. 

The Chairman. Mr. Mayor, that is not what we wish to know. 
Here is a bill proposing four different things and asking an appro- 
priation of $500,000 to enable them to be done. This committee 
wants information as to how much is to be expended upon each one 
of the proposed projects. 

Mr. Preston. Will you let Mr. Bibbins answer that question in a 
moment, when I shall have concluded ? 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Mr. Preston. In my judgment, gentlemen, the bill lays down two 
broad requests, either of which or both this committee can decline. 
Of course, the committee can say, "You can get nothing from the 
Government except this old field, w^hich you can fix up and spend 
your own money on and which we can take back the next day if w'e 
want it." I do not think that is a reasonable proposition. I do not 
think it is the way the matter ought to be put up to Baltim- -le city. 
However, the committee can do another thing. There are two things 
we are asking to be done: One is that a memorial to the w^ar and to 
the events of 1814 be established by a permanent memorial, and the 
other thing is that the j^roperty !)e jnit into tenantable con.dition. 
Not that you shaU pay the cost of maintenance, but bef jre you turn 
it over to Baltimore city to handle you do not requij'e us to put better- 
ments and improvements on your property which we may lose in a 
day or a week or a month or a year and have our capital account 
entirely wiped out. We can not face our people with any such 
expectation. 

Mr. Bartlett. For how long a time would you like to have the 
property ? 

Mr. Preston. I do not know^, sir. If the city of Baltimore spent 
$100,000 on the property, as a reasonable matter I should say ten or 
twenty or thirty years. The Government would not give it to us on 
any such terms, because the Government may need it day after 
to-morrow for war purposes; it may need it for the storage of sup- 
plies. We are building a railroad reaching there for their own 
purposes. 

Mr. Bartlett. If the Government needed it for war purposes and 
if it wore i)rivate pro]>erty the Government would take it and use it. 

Mr. Preston. But in this case they would not reimburse the city. 

Mr. Sherley. Well, let us get at the facts: There is no probability 
on earth that the Government w^ll ever use this property for war 
purposes. I happen to be the chairman of the subcommittee on 
fortifications, aiid from the standpoint of fortifications, it is clear out 



FORT McHENEY, MD. 11 

of the question. If you people sliould expend $100,000 for the 
improvement of these grounds, would not that improvement be of 
value to the city of Baltimore, even if the property should come 
back into the hands of the Federal Government ? Is there anj" prop- 
erty that the Federal Government now has in the way of gi-ounds 
around lighthouses or grounds around hospitals or grounds around 
any other institution of the Government, except in the case of arse- 
nals, that is not always open to the use of the public, and would noi 
whatever park improvements you made there — and that is what you 
w^ould expend that $100,000 for — always be of value to the city of 
Baltimore ? 

Mr. Prestox. You want my answer to that: Lot me suggest that 
it is not only possible that the Government will require the grounds 
back, but it is extremely probable that they will require them back 
at any moment. 

]Mi\ Sherley. For what purpose ? 

Mr. Preston. For War Department purposes. I say that because 
that statement was made by Gen. Aleshire. 

The Chairman. If that be the fact, then this committee would not 
be justified in expending money for park improvements. That 
expenditure would not be justified if there is any likelihood of the 
propei'ty being taken for War Department purposes. 

IVIr. Preston. We are not askmg you to spend money to maintain 
this park. 

Mr. Sherley. But you are askmg us to fix it up. Now, you are 
asking us to fix it up upon the theory that you can not afford to do it, 
because its use for the purpose that you would fix it up for is so un- 
certain as to not warrant the city of Baltimore in making the expendi- 
ture. Now, as has been suggested by the chairman, if it is uncertain 
for the city of Baltimore it is equally uncertain for the Federal Gov- 
ernment 

Mr. Preston (interposmg). Not for fixing it up, because that would 
be necessary whether you authorize it for park purposes or whether 
you use it for military purposes. For whatever purpose you may use 
it, you must maintain your reservation. You must fix those old 
buildings up. 

Mr. Sherley. You do not expect that property to be used for 
mihtary })urposes, do you ? If you do, you are the only man who 
does. Of course, I do not mean that offensively, but no man who 
understands the technical requirements for modern fortifications does 
expect that property to be so used. They would not thmk of using 
that as a fort. 

Mr. Preston. Of course, I do not know. I hope it will be a long 
time before the Government wall use anything for war purposes. But 
you ought to use it for somxcthing; you ought to use that property for 
something, and not let it lie there, as an old field. 

;Mi-. Linthicum. The buildings are in need of repair. 

Mr. Preston. The buildings are in need of repair, and you ought 
to do something about it. 

The Chairman. Why is the Federal Government under obligations 
to do more with its property than a private individual? 

Mr. Preston. But a private individual would do it. The Federal 
Government has 38 acres of land there in the heart of the harbor, 
and we have not been able to obtain enough land on which to erect 



12 FORT McHENEY, MD 



an immigration station for the Government. The Government had 
to go down and carve a corner off the Fort McHenry reservation for 
its immigration station. This property ought not to be abandoned; 
that is bad business; it is bad business, whether it is the Govern- 
ment's or a private individual's. It is bad business to abandon it, 
and it should be utilized for some purpose. 

Mr. Sherley. You do not want to create a use for it just in order 
to utilize it, do you ? 

Mr. Preston. You maintain your parks here in Washington — you 
have beautiful parks — and you should fix up this reservation at 
Baltimore. Is there any reason why the city of Baltimore, which 
pours into the coffers of the Nation $10,000,000 annually, should not 
have some consideration ? 

Mr. Sherley. On that theory my city should have a great deal of 
consideration, because she contributes so much in the way of internal- 
revenue taxes. There is nothing in that argument, because even if 
Baltimore pays more in taxes to the Government than any other place 
it is simply the medium through wdiich it is paid. 

Mr. Preston. That is true; but still, the medium is entitled to 
some consideration. 

Mr. Sherley. The thing before the committee is a different prop- 
osition. I agree with 3^ou that it is desirable to have, instead of a 
weed- grown place, a place that can be of use to your city, and because 
of that fact we are ■v^dUing for you to use it for that purpose. Now, 
your people are unduly concerned lest Uncle Sam wiU take it back. 
If you thought that Uncle Sam was going to use this property inside 
of a year, you would not have been concerned about getting it trans- 
ferred at all. Now, the question is whether the Federal Government 
or the city of Baltimore should expend the money for the necessary 
improvements in order that it may be used for park purposes, and 
inasmuch as the city of Baltimore wall derive the direct benefit it 
seems to me that they should bear the direct burden of the improve- 
ments. 

Mr. Preston. Of course, you are to determine this question; but 
I do not agree with you. I do not tliink it is reasonable for the 
Federal Government to expect the city to put permanent improve- 
ment on the property, especially in view of the fact that the Gov- 
ernment has the expectation of using it. 

Mr. Sherley. But the Government has no such expectation. 

Mr. Preston. Of course, I can go no further than to say that that 
statement was made by the Quartermaster General of the Army. 

Mr. Sherley. I would like to have his statement read. I would 
like to know for what purpose he proposes to use it. 

Mr. Linthicum. Gen. Aleshire made that statement. 

Mr. Sherley. Let us have exacth' what he said. 

Mr. Preston. I have not that record. 

Mr. Linthicum. This is not only a question of making roads, but 
there are a lot of valuable buildings there going to ruin, and we think 
they ought to be put in order for use. Gen. Aleshire said that he 
wanted the buildings close along the water front. He wants to use 
some of those buildings for the shipment of supplies by water as well 
as by rail, and for that purpose he consented that S10,()00 be inserted 
in the bill for the purpose of putting those buildings in order and to 
take care of them at present. There is a hospital building there that 



FOKT McHENKY, MD. 13 

you could not put up for less than about $50,000, and there are three 
or four other buildings right along the water front, and you could not 
put any of them up for less than $10,000 apiece. Those buildings we 
want to keep in order, and we think the Government ought to be will- 
ing to put them in order. After they are put in order we will take care 
of them. We are in a peculiar position in Baltimore. Our railways 
pay us a certain percentage of their gross income, and the city uses 
that money for the purpose of taking care of park property. Tliey 
do not use any part of that money in the purchase of property, l)ut 
they use it for the purpose of keeping up property. Therefore is this 
property is put in order, the city will be in a good position to take care 
of it; but we do think that the Federal Government ought to .out its 

... o i 

buildmgs in order when they turn them over to us. The bill does not 
rest entirely on that; but we are asking for certain memorials, and 
Dr. Bibbins, who is chairman of the executive committee, will give 
you an account of them. It is the proposition of the people of Bal- 
timore, after these buildings are put in order, to take care of them, and 
it is also their proposition to take care of the memorials that are asked. 

Mr. Bartlett. What do you mean by taking care of them ? 

Mr. LiXTiiicuM. By keeping them in repair. 

Mr. Bartlett. Do you mean the Government buildings ? 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. Yes, sir; we will take care of the whole business 
without any expense to the Federal Government at all. But we 
think you ought to turn them over to us in good repair. The property 
should be put in order before it is turned over to us. The roads are 
washed out, and we propose to take care of them out of our railway 
fund. I might say that that is due to the foresight of our city 
authorities, that a percentage of the gross income of the railways 
shall be paid to the city for the purpose of taking care of its paiks. 

Mr. Bartlett. You have suggested that the Government may per- 
haps still have to use this property for Government purposes? 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. Yes, sir. Gen. Aleshire expects to use three or 
four of the buildings on the water front within a short time for the 
purpose of shipping Army supplies out by water and by rail. 

The Chairman. What he would use, then, would be the buildings, 
and that would not interfere with your use of the land for park 
purposes. 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. I do not think so, so far as the grounds are con- 
cerned. I do not think they will ever use that, but if war should take 
place, the buildings will be found to be advantageous. There are 
barracks there that would accommodate perhaps 1,000 soidieis in 
time of war. They are located right there at deep water, and soldiers 
and supplies could be sent readily from that place. But if the build- 
ings are allowed to rot and go to ruin, it will be a big loss to the 
Government, because they could not be replaced for perhaps less than 
$250,000 or $300,000. 

Mr. Sherley. Eliminating from our consideration the question of 
the monuments and the celebration of this occasion, and considering 
the question of improvements, pure and simple, is it your idea that 
the Government should simply put these buildings in proper con- 
dition ? 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. Yes, sir; and the roads. 

Mr. Sherley. Wliat do you mean by the roads? 



14 POET McHENEY, MD. 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. I think there are 38 acres 

Mr. Sherley (interposing). Wliat I want to know is whether you 
are not confusing yonr request for the improvement of these build- 
ings that you say the Government may use for warehouse pur- 
poses 

Mr. LiNTHicuM (interposing). And hospital. 

Mr. Sherley. Is there a hospital there ? 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. Yes, sir; there is a hospital building there which 
would cost, perhaps, $50,000. 

Mr. Sherley. You do not think the Government will maintain a 
hospital there, do you ? 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. No, sir; but I think the Government ought to 
take care of the building. 

Mr. Sherley. What do you mean by building roads ? 

Mr. LiNTHiCLTM. Just putting the roads already there in good 
order. 

Mr. Preston. There is one new road project. There are 38 acres 
of land, and a road running through it. There is also projected a 
road around the sea wall. Here [indicating! is a plat of the property. 

Mr. Sherley. What is the property worth ? 

Mr. LiNTHicuivi. I do not beheve that you could get the Govern- 
ment to sell that property. The patriotic people of this country 
would not consent to such a thing. I am quite sure that if I tried it 
I would have to move out of Baltimore, and the mayor has suggested 
that if he undertook it, he would have to move out. 

I would like novr for you to hear Dr. Bibbins, who can explain the 
cost of the memorial, etc. 

The Chairman. We would like to have some statement in regard 
to that. 

Mr. Mondell. Mayor Preston, does the city contemplate using any 
of the buildings on these grounds ? 

Mr. Preston. No, sir; I think it is thought if w^e could get the 
memorial some of these buildings, which are in a moribund condition, 
will be torn down. All the other buildings will be utilized by the 
Quartermaster Department of the United States Army. 

Mr. Mondell. You say they will be used by the Army ? 

Mr. Preston. Yes, sir; they ^\^ll be and are now. 

Mr. Mondell. Are they using them now ? 

Mr. Preston. Yes, sir; they are used for the storage of quarter- 
master supplies and will be continued to be used for that purpose to 
an increased extent. The city of Baltimore is building a railroad 
down to it, and it was a condition of the grant by the Public Buildings 
and Grounds Committee that this railroad spur should be run in there. 

Mr. Mondell. What is this hospital building that has been spoken 
of utilized for ? 

Mr. Preston. Notliing; that is vacant. 

Mr. Mondell. Are the barracks and quarters occupied ? 

Mr. Preston. Oh, no. There is only one man there on tliis whole 
tract representing the Government. 

Mr. Mondell. But I understood you to sa}' that the Quartermaster 
Department was using these buildings ? 

Mr. Preston. They store supplies in them and move them away. 
They have things stored there now and are going to extend that use 
very much. 



FOET McHENRY, MD. 15 

Mr. MoNDELL. That is, thcv are utilizmg some of the buildings as 
storehouses ? 

Mr. Preston. Yes, sir; they are utihzing some of the barracks, 
I think, for storage purposes. There are 25 or 30 buiklings and I 
woukl say that most of them are vacant. Most of them are in very 
bad condition — the papering is falUng off and the plastering also. 

Mr. MoNDELL. Under the bill that passed the House the other day, 
was it contemplated that the cit}^ would utilize some of these buildings 
for any purpose ? 

Mr. Preston. No, sir. We have no use for them at all. We did 
not want the property. It is going to be an expense to us; but we 
asked that tliis sore spot, this scandal, be removed, and to let us do 
it ourselves in some way. 

The Chairman. Mr. Preston, the War Department has available 
during the present year for the purpose of keeping such buildings 
and grounds, $2,073,600, which is placed at the disposal of the War 
Department to be expended upon such buildings and such grounds 
as they think essential for the proper conduct of the Government's 
business. This committee could not undertake to appropriate money 
to supplement such an appropriation. Who is the gentleman you 
say is to speak as to the cost of the several projects? 

Mr. Preston. Mr. Bibbms. 

STATEMENT OF MR. A. B. BIBBINS, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, 
NATIONAL STAR SPANGLED BANNER CENTENNIAL COM- 
MISSION. 

Air. BiBBiNS. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, the 
question that has just been raised regarding the sale of Fort McHenry 
makes me feel that we need about three or four minutes of history 
here, and with your permission I want to mention a few historical 
points. These events include the successful defense of Baltimore 
immediately following the capture and burnmg of Washington. As 
soon as the news of the repulse of the enemy at Baltimore reached 
the commissioners at Ghent, the American commissioners, after 
weary months of discouragement, were at once able to secure accept- 
able terms of peace. This happy result brought our second war for 
independence to a close, and we were guaranteed commercial as well 
as political freedom, and were at last the free Nation we had declared 
ourselves to be 38 years before. The strategic importance of the 
victory at Baltimore can only be realized when it is remembered that 
it was the avowed plan of the British after the capture of Baltimore 
to march north from the head of the bay, unite forces with their army 
from Canada in the heart of the country, cut off New England, and 
once again reduce us to dependent colonies. With the Capitol 
burned, the Government helpless and bankrupt, a vast section 
opposed to the war and favoring separation, one can but feel that 
tne surrender of Baltimore might well have been fatal to the Nation 
and the loss of everything for which the Revolutionary patriots had 
striven. Let me for a moment recall the part which Baltimore and 
Maryland had taken in this war before the final climax was reached. 

Early in the conflict, when the banki'upt General Government 
called for a loan of $16,000,000 from the then 18 states, Mary- 
land appropriated $450,000, and Baltimore merchants subscribed 



16 FOET McHENEY, MD 



$3,000,000 — together, more than one-fifth of the whole, and this de- 
spite the fact that Baltimore's conmerce had fallen from $14,000,000 
to S238,000. 1 hese loans became the basis of our State and municipal 
debts. When Baltimore discovered that none of this was available 
for her own protection, she pluckily raised $1,000,000 more for local 
defense, and it was because of this generous sacrifice, and the extra 
security it made possible, that she was able to turn the tide of in- 
vasion and save not only herself, but the Nation. 

Gentlemen, it is not necessary for us to emphasize the importance 
of tho conservation of America's patriotic shrines. Here are two, 
who-e impoitance stand out boldly in the annals of American free- 
dom. Here were fought the last two battles which sealed that free- 
dom, and ushered in a century of peace, and an era of progress and 
achievement unparalleled in history, culminating in the Panama Canal. 
These shrines lie at the gateway of one of our great eastern ports, 
midway between north and south, from which point they are well 
calculated to spread their message of peace and good will to all na- 
tions flocking to our shores. We are asking but a trifle as the Na- 
tion's tribute to these slirines, to the end that the world may be 
reassured that this great country is "too big and too powerful" — 
as the Presidejit has recently said in another connection — not to 
cherish the memory of her defenders and their needs. We do not be- 
lieve we need to do more than state our cause to so intelligent and 
farsighted a body of citizens as compose this committee. 

If another word of persuasion is needed, permit me to add that 
the British Government long ago, honored the memory of brave 
Gen. Ross, who lost the victory we won, by a handsome monu- 
ment at Halifax, a cenotaph in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and 
the title and estate of Bladensburg for his family. In addition to 
this, the British Government will shortly celebrate, in a very elabo- 
rate way, the century of peace with the United States, insured by 
the Treaty of Ghent, which we think we can claim was fu-st insured 
by the victories at Baltimore. ''The land of the free, and the home 
of the brave," must certainly not be outdone by the mother country, 
or any other, in cherishing the memory of her defenders, nor permit 
others to appropriate the laurels which belong to her own fair brow. 
In a word, we believe that Congress should, if need be, lavish its 
funds u))on such shrines as Fort McHenry and North Point, because 
of their far-reaching significance. 

Now, regarding the matter of how it is proposed to commemorate 
this event, we have in mind the following use of the money which is 
asked : 

First. A Defenders' Memorial Hall, or a National Temple of Peace, 
if you prefer to call it by that name, to cost $300,000. This should 
be a steel fire-proof structure to occupy the pentagonal inclosure, 
as suggested by Gen. Aleshire, within the Star Fort, with colonaded 
superstructure and dome. Upon its walls at one end Pinkney's 
terse declaration of war, and upon the other Key's glowing words of 
dehverance and peace. Between these, mural ])aintings of the 
bombardment and North Point battle scenes, and other notable 
events associated with this war. Here will be collected aU the trophies, 
relics, and souvenirs of both wars for independence, in which our 
region abounds, but which are so r^ipidJy disappearing. 



FORT McHENRY, MD. 17 

Second, a monument to Francis Scott Key, in the flag bastion of 
the fort, from which the Star Spangled Banner waved to him its 
message of triumph — this to cost S100,000. 

Third. A suitable steel flag staff with ornamental bronze base, 
and summit of symbohc design to replace the present wooden struc- 
ture upon the very spot where stood the flagstaff of 1814, this to 
cost S5,000. We have in mind something like what you may see in 
front of the Union Station here in Washington. 

Fourth. A monument at North Point battlefield, where an acre 
of ground was given for the purpose, and a cornerstone laid 75 years 
ago — this to be erected to the citizen soldiers of Maryland, Virginia, 
and Ponnyslvania, who checked the enemy at this point, and fought 
the last conflict between the British and Americans, before peace 
was secured — this to cost .S70,000. 

Fifth. For putting the buildings and ground of Fort McHenry and 
North Point in proper shape to receive these proposed memorial 
structures, $25,000 wall be required. 

The city of Baltimore has made provision for the purchase and re- 
storation of the old town residence of the signer of the Declaration, 
Charles Carroll, of CarroUton, in commemoration of the centenary 
of national independence. It is investing milUons in the "Key 
Highway" as a suitable approach to Fort McHenry. It has also in 
preparation a monument to our Baltimore commander of the fort, 
Col. Armistead, but we are sure you w^ll agree with us that Congress 
should erect the memorial to Key and the flag, the Defenders 
Memorial Hall, and the Citizen Soldiers' Monument to the men who 
preserved us as a nation. 

I thank you for your attention. 

The Chairmax. How much did you say was to be expended on the 
monument to the flag or to Francis S^ott Key ? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. $100,000 for the Key monument. 

The Chairman. And how much for the memorial hall? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. For that $300,000. 

The Chairman. And how much for the monument on the North 
Point Battlefield ? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. For that, $70,000. 

The Chairman. That would leave $30,000 for aU the incidentals 
and fixing up the grounds ? 

Mr. BiBBixs. That would be $5,000 for the flagstaff and $25,000 
to put these gi'ounds in condition. 

The Chairman. That would be $25,000 ? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. That would leave $25,000 for the incidental ex- 
penses. What is the memorial hall to be ? What is proposed 1 This 
does not mea,n anytliing unless it is explained. 

Mr. BiBBiNS. In the fu*st place, it would be a hall for patriotic 
gatherings from all parts of the country. We have a great many 
meetings of that sort in Baltimore, and I can not conceive anj'thing 
more appropriate on a battle field of that sort than this proposed 
memorial would be. 

The Chairman. WTiat was the purpose in the minds of those who 
suggested this ? What size or capacity is contemplated ? 

35073—14 2 



18 FOET McHENRY, MD. 

Mr. BiBBixs. Gen. Aleshire suggested what I mentioned, that it 
should be just inside of the pentagonal inclosiire within the Star Fort. 

The Chairman. I want to know what w^as in the minds of those who 
suggested tliis type of memorial. I want to know what is to be the 
capacity of it. Those who originated this plan must have had some- 
thing in their minds. There must have been something in their 
minds on which this estimate of $300,000 was based. That is the 
information we wish. 

Mr. BiBBiNS. The best answer I can make to that is that a building 
to fill that space would cost in the neighborhood of $300,000. 

The Chairman. What would be the dimensions of it ? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. I suppose the diameter of that space would be 150 
or 175 feet. 

Mr. Sherley. I am not sure that I understand what you mean. 
This map shows a rectangular space marked " For memorial hall," and 
I presume from your statement that you mean for it to be inside 
the fort. 

Mr, BiBBiNS. Yes, sir. After conferring with some members of the 
Military Commission, we changed it to meet their suggestions. 

The Chairman. What is to be the capacity of the building? 

Mr. BiBBiNs. I suppose it would hold 2,000 or 3,000 people. 

Mr. Sherley. Do you think you have room enough inside that 
fort for the memorial hall and still leave proper air space around ? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. Yes, sir. 

Mr. LiNTHicuivi. The fort walls do not extend very high. 

Mr. BiBBiNS. The suggestion was to have a basement a little 
above the terrace and the superstructure above that. 

Mr. Sherley. What you are proposing to do is to put a rectangular 
building in that space. 

Mr. BiBBiNs. No, sir; it will be pentagonal. 

Mr. Sherley. It w^ould come up higher than the walls of the 
fort, so that practically the usable part of the building would look 
out over the ramparts of the fort ? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. $25,000 is the amount that would remain for the 
rehabilitation of these existmg buildmgs and to repair the roads ? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And that is all it is contemplated will be required ? 

Mr. BiBBiNS. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Why can not the city of Baltimore do that ? 
This contemplates an expenditure of $500,000, and of that amount 
it is proposed to expend $25,000 for the purpose of putting these 
buildings and grounds in suitable condition. 

Mr. BiBBiNS. The proposed memorial hall would contain: Relics 
of the War of 1812 and of the Revolutionary War; mural paintings 
of the following subjects: Battle of North Point, Defense of Fort 
McHenry, Treat}" of Ghent, and Treaty of Paris ; replica (or original) 
Star-Spangled Banner; portrayals of War of 1812 and of the Revo- 
lutionary War; busts; library of War of 1812 and Revolutionary 
War literature. It could be used as a meetmg place for patriotic 
and other conventions, and the basement could be used as an armory. 

Mr. LiNTHicuiM. I would like for you to hear Mr. Rufus M, Gibbs, 
the president of the board of trade. 



FORT McHENRY, MD, 19 

STATEMENT OF MR. RUFUS M. GIBBS, PRESIDENT BOARD OF 

TRADE, BALTIMORE, MD. 

Mr. GiBBS. Mr. C hairman aiul gentlemen of the committee, I will 
not keep you long. If I did not have some other reason than the 
thought, as a citizen of Baltimore, that anything w'e could get out 
of the public purse was that much profit, I would not be here at all. 
I do naturally feel as a citizen of Baltimore that we want this money, 
and as a citizen of the United States I feel that the United States 
ought to give it to us. My reasons for that view are based solely 
upon the score of patriotism. We have armies of unemployed, made 
up chiefly of unemployablcs, coming here to Washington; socialism, 
anarchisni, and all the other isms are rampant, and to-day mobs in 
the chief cities of the couritry are invading the churchts and profaning 
the sanctity of the church. Now, if there is anything at this time 
that is going to act as a bulwark against all these new thoughts and 
reckless ideas it is patriotism, and I thii^k that this Government 
should do everything that it can possibty do and that it should seize 
every opportunity offered to foster and encourage any movement 
of a proper nature that is goii g to cultivate the idea of patriotism 
and spread it broadcast throughout the lard. We have millions of 
new immigrants in this countrj' who have no conception of patriotism, 
as patriotism was ur.derstood by our forefathers. Now, if there is 
any one thing or any one mark in oin- history which shines out con- 
spicuously, it consists of the acts and deeds in coimection with this 
prcposed celebration of the Battle of North Poir.t and the writing of 
the Star-Spangled Banner. It is an inspiration in the same way that 
Lexington, Saratoga, and Yorktown are inspiratioriS, and we are go- 
ing to celebrate it. We want to impress it upon the country as a 
whole, and I really think, gentlemen, that this question of increasing 
the patriotism of our Nation is going to do a great deal toward hold- 
ing things in check until wise counsels an.d prudent judgment can devise 
ways and mearis for settling the great economic cjuestions that are 
confronting us to-day. That is the chief argument that presents 
itself to me. I do not know anything about the bills that have been 
presented in Congress, and I can not answer any questions in regard 
to them, but I do feel that the solidarity of the family is dependent 
largely upon the respect in which the children of the family hold their 
parents, and that the sohdarity and integrity of the Nation is largely 
dependent upon the love and respect in whichthe people of the nation 
hold its history and traditions. 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. Mr. Robert E. Lee, as representative of the labor 
organizations of Baltimore, and secretary of the centennial com- 
mission, wdll now address you. 

STATEMENT OF MR. ROBERT E. LEE, SECRETARY OF THE 

CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

Mr. Lee. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I feel 
that Fort jSIcIIenry is as important from the historical point of view 
as any other spot in the UPxited Stat(>s. We feel that we have been 
patient and have suffered long, and that we have not asked the Gov- 
enmient with the emphasis that we ought to have put upon our ap- 
pUcation to do anything for ns in the way of spending money to 



20 FOET McHENEY, MD. 

S reserve the history of our country that is associated with Fort 
[cHenry. We ourselves are going to spend several hundred thou- 
sand dollars in having a celebration which will be national, and we 
hope international, in scope. We feel that if there ever was a time 
when the Government should look with favor upon the question, 
not so much as an investment, but from the standpoint of patriotic 
ideas and sentiments, the one hundredth anniversary of the Battle of 
North Point and the writing of the Star Spangled JBanner would be 
that time. At that time, when we will have people from all over the 
country visiting our city, we hope we will not have to say to them: 
"This is Fort McHenry, about which your children have read in 
school, and about which they are taught; this is the place where the 
national anthem which they sing and reverence was written. This 
reservation is the property of the Government, and it is sadly neg- 
lected. It is a broomsage field, and the Government has not done 
anything for it." I do not want to have to say that to the people 
who visit our community, either native or naturalized, arid there will 
be there people from foreign lands, perhaps; but we want to say to 
them: "This is the place where the national anthem was written, 
and it blossoms like the rose; the Government takes good care of it, 
and we are proud in our possession of it." 

Now, what has been done for other historic places in the United 
States ? Boston has been very liberally looked after in all matters 
of historical -importance. They liave done some of it themselves, 
through tb.c loca,! government, but the National Government has also 
done more there than it ,has done for Baltimore and Maryland. 
Other places in the country have been liberally treated by the Con- 
gress of the United States. We say that we are not here to prove to 
you that in dollars and cents this will pay you; we are not here to 
figure out as to w^hether or not it will be a good investment for the 
Government, but we are here to say to you that this is a historic place 
and that it deserves at your hands the same treatment that other 
historic places have received. We want to say that we do not care 
what kind of buildings your architects decide tliat we ought to have. 
We do not care whether you say it should be a scjiiare building or a 
round building, or whether it should be a high building or a low build- 
ing. We are perfectly mlling to take your views or those of the 
Government's, architects upon that subject, because we know that 
when the Government of the United States spends its money for the 
construction of buildings, it is going to get full returns for its invest- 
ment. We are willing to take your judgment as to the character of 
the buildings. We "will, of course, suggest what we would like to have, 
but if our suggestions do not meet your approval, Congress \v\\\ not 
regard them, but everything will be done to the entire satisfaction 
of the National Government. T]ie buildings will be put to whatever 
purpose Congress may determine. We v/ant a memorail, which from 
the national and historical point of view, will be in keeping with the 
dignity of the occasion or event we are to celebrate, and wo are per- 
fectly satisfied that Congress shall determine what it shall be and 
to what use it shall be put. We want to erect a permanent memorial 
in commemoration of tlxosc battles and the waiting of tJie Star 
Spangled Banner. 

The Chaieman. To what use would this memorial building be put ? 

Mr. Lee. To whatever use you may say. 



FORT McHENRY, MD. 21 

The Chairman. We are not making any suggestions about that. 
You are asking for a memorial hall. 

Mr. Lee. We would be glad, if we should secure this appropriation, 
to have the plans prepared and submitted to you or to the proper 
Federal authorities for approval. Our main idea was that we wanted 
the memorial, and we do not know whether it shall be a flagstaff or 
building^ — — 

The Chairman (interposing) . You are asking for a building to cost 
$300,000, and I have asked you if you could state to what use such 
a building would be put. 

Mr. Lee. I can only state to what possible uses the Government 
might be able to put it. I could imagine its use for a number of 
purposes. I can imagine the use of the buildings for soldiers — ■ — 

The Chairman (interposing). I am speaking cf the memorial hall; 
it would not be erected for that purpose. 

Mr. Lee. We will use it for whatever purpose you say. 

The Chairman. You are requesting a $300,000 building, and this 
committee is endeavoring to ascertain what is in the minds of those 
who propose that building as to the use it should be put to. 

Mr. Lee. What was in the minds of the people who suggested the 
memorial hall was that it should be a building in which historical 
societies and patri "tic societies could hold conventions. 

The Chairman. How often would the historical societies in various 
parts of the country be hkely to go to Fort McHenry for the purpose 
of holding their conventions % 

Mr. Lee. There might be statues in there and there might be paint- 
ings in there. They might hold their conventions in that hall. It 
could be used just as the Daughters of the American Revolution use 
their building here in Washington. They use it every year for their 
convention, and then in between times they use it for other things 
in connection with the business in which they are engaged. We 
figure that we can do the same thing in Baltimore. If the Govern- 
ment can tell us what use should be made of the hall, we will be 
perfectly willing to abide the will of Congress in the matter. The 
thing that we want to impress upon your committee is that we want 
the Federal Government to become interested in Fort McHenry, 
because Fort McHenry is important enough for the Government to 
be interested in it. We think that we have had to fight in this cause 
long enough; we have even had to ask the Government not to dispose 
of that property to private enterprise. We have had to come over 
to Congress a number of times when Senator Rayner was living and 
ask you to see to it that it was not abandoned altogehter. This 
reservation has been sadly neglected; the buildings have become 
dilapidated, and it is beginning to look worse than these yellow clay 
hiUs outside of Washington. We think the national Government 
ought to have a greater pride in a place where such an important 
historical event occurred. We think that the Federal Government 
on its own initiative should see that an important place of that kind 
is properly preserved and handed down to generations yet unborn 
as a place that they can point to and say, ''Here was written the 
national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner." That is the way we 
feel about it. 

We want the Government, the National Government, to be identi- 
fied mth this spot. The National Government should be identified 



22 FOET McHENEY, MD. 

with this memorial to Francis Scott Key, the author of the Star 
Spangled Banner. We are here to appeal to you in the name of 
sentiment and patriotism; we are here to urge in the name of patriot- 
ism that the Federal Government should be identified with this 
memorial; we are not here to prove that this will be a profitable invest- 
ment to the Government in dollars and cents, or tliat you could not 
spend the money elsewhere more profitably in building coast defenses, 
etc. We know that it is not suited for a fort; we know that it can not 
be used for fortification purposes, but we do know that the Govern- 
ment, by paying proper attention to this historic spot, will inculcate 
the idea and principle of patriotism in the minds of those who see it. 
Why, for instance, do people journey to that place in Texas simply to 
see the little barracks . where Houston and his immortal comrades 
defended the State ? Why do people go down to see the old cathedrals 
and institutions where the people worshiped ? Why do they spend 
their money journeying to such places ? It is because these places 
have been made immortal by the deeds that were wrought there. 
That is why we want the people of this country to come to Fort 
McHenry. We want the people to come there and see that our Gov- 
ernment has not neglected this spot. It is now a barren tract; it is 
now an old broom sage field. Yet, the National Government is 
identified with the place where the Star Spangled Banner was written 
and where some of the most important events of the War of 1812 
took place. I have not surveyed that ground, and I do not know 
what the dimensions of the building would be. I am not an architect 
or a builder, but I know all that information can be obtained, and we 
are willing to rely upon the wisdom of the Government in working 
those details out. 

Mr. GiBBS. You have asked several times about tlie use to which 
the memorial hall could be ])ut. I think that the v/ord "memorial" 
well expresses the use to whicli it could be put. I think the name 
"Memorial Hall" indicates the use. Perhaps it does not indicate 
the practical use, but it indicates the same sort of use that tlie Wash- 
ington monument is, as T see it from the window here. It is an 
inspiration. 

The Chairman. You do not believe that a hall is simply something 
to look at? 

Mr. GiBBS. That is true in part, but the hall itself woidd still be 
used as a storehouse for interesting relics of both the War of 1812 and 
the Revolutionary War. 

The Chairman. Wliere would they come from ? 
. Mr. GiBBS. By gathering them from private sources. I am sure 
there are many people in Baltimore who have valuable relics of both 
wars. 

The Chairman. Do you want to use it as a nuiseum ? 

Mr. GiBBs. I am simply suggesting a use to which it could be put. 

The Chairman. You are asking us to approp'-iate 8300, ()()0 for a 
hall which is to be called "The Defenders' Memorial Hall," or "The 
National Temple of Peace." Now, it is not unreasonable in us to 
ask what the originators of this plan had in mind. 

Mr. GiBBS. The thought m my own mind was that a memorial hall 
could be put to a very useful ])urpose, but the most useful purpose 
of all is the fact that it is in commemoration of the soldiers who gave 
their lives for their country 100 years ago. 



FOET McHENEY, MD. 23 

Mr. SnERLEY. Here is the principal question that confronts this 
committee: I think the committee has a proper appreciation of the 
value of memorials and the desirabihty of properly inculcating patri- 
otic sentiment in the minds of the people, but we also have an appre- 
ciation of the perhaps exalted view taken by all of us touching the 
things that are in our immediate neighborhood. Now, if we under- 
took to build -1300,000 memorials at every fort that has played some 
important part in the history of America, we would have to appro- 
priate tremendous sums of money. This committee must not only 
consider the desirabihty of doing a particular thing, but the desira- 
bility of doing it in comparison with other things that may also be 
desirable, because we have presented to us proposals from all over 
America, and it is very easy for one to make a very patriotic and 
eloquent speech touchmg the commemoration of many events at 
many places. I can on a moment's notice recite to you perhaps 50 
places that all of us would agree abstractly are proper places to be 
commemorated and preserved, and yet it is perfectly apparent that 
Congress can not say yes to every proposal of that kind that is 
presented. 

Mr. GiBBS. There is no other fort that so well deserves com- 
memoration 

Mr. Sherley (interposing). There are a number of forts that have 
such claims; to make you a direct answer, there are a number of forts 
that have more claim to such recognition by reason of their historic 
associations. 

Mr. GiBBS. We appreciate very much the responsibility of the 
committee, and we also realize how easy it is for anyone to ask you 
for money on the general assumption that the pubKc purse is un- 
limited 

Ml-. Baetlett (interposing). It is not unlimited, but from the way 
demands are made upon it it would seem that there is an impression 
that it is unlimited. 

Mr. GiBBS. Well, gentlemen, we are here and we have tried to 
state our case to you. We have given you to the best of our ability 
our reason for asking for this money. In the first place, gentlemen, 
we are perfectly serious in feeling that we are asking for something 
that we have a right to ask for — not that we have a right to demand it, 
but a right to ask for it, and we hope that your committee is going to 
see the matter eventually in our way. 

Mr. Sheeley. I think your zeal is commendable, but I think that, 
inasmuch as I particularly have been shooting questions at you ^ory 
freely, I should bring to your consideration a little of the other side 
of the case 

Mr. GiBBs (int rposing). And it is a quite mt.rcsting presentation 
of it that you have made. Your committee has suggested thhigs that 
had not occurred to me before; but, superimposed above everything 
else, I am impressed with the thought that if patriotism is something 
that should be encouraged and if it is worth while to spend something 
m its encouragement, here is a good opportunity to spend some money 
for that purpose. If you do not feel that way and if, in the wisdom of 
this committ:^e, this request can not be granted, we can only grace- 
fully accept your judgment. 

The Chairman. Why is it necessary to have four different monu- 
ments ? Why would not one monument answer the entire purpose ? 



24 ' FORT McHENEY, MD. 

Mr. GiBBS. Because there are half a dozen roads leadmg to the same 
terminal. 

The Chairman. You are asking for a memorial hall, a monument 
to Francis Scott Key, a flagstaff, and also a monument at the North 
Point battle field. It seems to me that you are asking for a great 
many thmgs at once. 

Mr. Borland. I was not here at the beginning of the hearings and 
I want to know whether it is proposed that any part of this be done 
by the city of Baltimore. 

Mr. GiBBS. The city of Baltimore is undertaking a big celebration. 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. We have two other gentlemen here to be heard. 
I now present to you Mr. Frank N. Hoen, the vice president of the 
Merchants and Manufacturers' Association. 

STATEMENT OF MR. FRANK M. HOEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF 
THE MERCHANTS AND MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, 
BALTIMORE, MD. 

Mr. Hoen. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I will 
not take up much of your time. I simply wish to say that as vice 
president of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association of Balti- 
more I have devoted a good deal of my time to working out a proper 
schedule for the demonstration to be held in our city in September, 
and I can assure you that our merchants and manufacturers are 
heartily behind this whole proposition. They will spend millions of 
dollars to make this demonstration a notable affair for the country. 
I am surprised that you gentlemen should be disposed to go into 
the suggestion of cutting down the appropriation that we have asked 
for. I served as a representative of our State on the commission to 
the World's Fair at Chicago, to the St. Louis Exposition, to the Pan- 
ama Exposition, and the Southern Exposition at Charleston, and for 
all of those expositions this Government made large appropriations. 
The city of Baltimore and the State of Maryland have never come 
and asked for any specific appropriation from Congress for any such 
purpose. I say to you that the citizens of Baltimore will spend not 
less than $5,000,000 in carrying out the program that we have in 
view, and it does seem small for our committee to come here and 
ask for a mere $500,000 

The Chairman (interposing). In what way wiU the citizens of 
Baltimore spend $5,000,000 ? 

Mr. Hoen. I mean exactly what I say. 

The Chairman. Well, tell us about it. 

Mr. Hoen. For example, we are arranging for the first day's cele- 
bration an industrial parade, and v.^e have eveiy assurance that there 
will be more than 500 floats in that parade. 

The Chairman. That will be advertising the industries of Baltimore. 

Mr. Hoen. It does, but that means the expenditure of money. 
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. will have 5,000 men in Une, and 
it will l)e one of the biggest things that railroad ever did. There wdll 
be miUions of dollars spent on that celebration. Now, I want to siiy 
this, that the idea of coming here for this appropriation came up in 
this way: To have this celebration without participation by the Fed- 
eral Government would be like gi^ang the plav of Hamlet without 
having Hamlet in the play. 



FORT McHENRY, MD. 25 

Mr. Bartlett. The trouble is that you are proposing here a great 
many things that do not seem to be ilUistrative of patriotism nor com- 
memorative of the event. 

Mr. HoEN. So far as the Government's participation in this mr.tter 
is concerned, it can for itself determine the form of the memorial to 
commemorate the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. Whether 
that shall take the shape of a memorial hall, whether it shall be a 
monument, or making an appropriation for converting this reserva- 
tion into one of the beauty spots of the world for the city of Baltimore 
to take care of afterwards, is a matter for you gentlemen t(^ say; ])iit 
we tliink that it is right for us to come here and ask you, in view of 
what the city is doing and in view of what our citizens are doing, for 
an appropriation of $500,000 to be expended as this bill provides. 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. In answer to Judge Bartlctt's suggestion, I want 
to call the attention of the committee to another memorial. I was 
on the committee to visit St. Louis to participate in the dedication of 
the Jefferson ]\Iemorial HaU. That, in my opinion, is a splendid 
memorial. They were gathering togetlier there all of the historical 
relics they could get and placing them in that hall. Then, they had 
another part where they Jield lectures ond conventions. They had a 
statue of Jefferson, and that memorial was one of the most beautiful 
things I have ever seen. I think it a most beautiful as well as useful 
memorial. In this case, I liad in mind the thought that we could 
gather together the rehcs of the War of 1812 and of the Revolutionary 
War, and we might also have a hall there in which conventions — not 
large conventions, of course, but a hall in which patriotic conventions 
could be held. We have thought that would be a most appropriate 
memorial — a hall standing above the ramparts of old Fort Mclienry. 

I now present to you Mr. Herbert Sheridan, the president of the 
Baltimore Chamber of Commerce. 

STATEMENT OF MR. HERBERT SHERIDAN, PRESIDENT 
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BALTIMORE, MD. 

Mr. Sheridan. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, 
I have but a few words to say. I want to remind you of the very 
cordial invitation that his honor the mayor gave this committee to 
come over to Baltimore and see this spot. If that is done, there 
will be a very mucn better acquaintance on the part of the committee 
with the place itself. A visit by the comiTiittee to this historical 
spot will give them an acc^uaintance vnth the subject that will be of 
great aid to them. The celebration of tliis event is a matter of 
great interest and one that appeals not only to the city of Baltimore 
and the State of ^laryland for support, but we are satisfied that if 
the countr}^ at large were aware of this occasion, witliout a dissenting 
voice in any quarter, the entire country would be behind us in our 
request for this assistance at the hands of tlie Federal Government. 
Now, as to the particular marking of this spot by means of a memorial 
building, that, in the minds of tlie committee, seemed to be more 
appropriate than a monument of some kind 

The Chairman. But you propose a monument in addition. 

Mr. Sheridan. T know, but I am speaking of the hall • 

The Chairman (interposing). That is why I asked about the hall. 
You were asldng for a hall and the monument is in addition. 



26 FORT McHENRY, MD. 

Mr. Sheridan. It seemed to be most fitting to tJie committee 
that there should be a statue of Francis Scott Key, the author of 
the American anthem. My own experience, gathered through a 
residence in Columbus as to the utihty of a memorial building, 
might be of some value. The people of that city thought tliat it 
would be a most suitable way to revere the memory of the soldiers 
and sailors. It is now used as a committee room by the Grand 
Army posts, and as a place for the gathering of conventions, for 
public meetings, for lecture courses, and for various events of musical 
societies. It Is the common meeting place not only for the city of 
Columbus, but for the State at large, and used as such it has been 
greatly enjoyed. It has been very feasible and most valuable as a 
memorial. 

I thank you, sir. 

The Chairman. Is there any one else who desires to be heard ? 

Mr. LiNTHicuM. No, sir. 

I thank the committee for its kindness in giving us this extended 
hearing, but I particularly hope that you will come and see this old 
fort; let us show you just what we are asking of you, and how impor- 
tant it is. 



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